The University of Maine at Farmington has curated a weeklong program of events to honor and celebrate the rich heritage and culture of Indigenous peoples.
By honoring those peoples, UMF aims to promote awareness, and foster a deeper understanding of history, traditions, and challenges of Indigenous people. Supporting Indigenous voices reinforces UMF’s commitment to empowering underrepresented communities and ensures their stories are heard and valued, according to a news release from April Mulherin, associate director for Media Relations at UMF.
Indigenous People’s Week events, open to the public, are set for Monday through Thursday, Oct. 16-19, at multiple campus locations. Most events are free except for the Wednesday, Oct. 18, Traditional Indigenous Meal, which will be available at half price ($6.47) for individuals without a UMF meal plan.
• Monday, Oct. 16, 6:30-8 p.m., Indigenous Peoples Panel Discussion, “The Wabanaki, Sovereignty and How to be an Ally,” Bjorn Lobby, Kalikow Education Center, South Street.
Join panelists and explore the central focus of the Wabanaki Peoples’ current political struggles and their profound journey to assert their sovereignty, as well as efforts among non-Natives to be good allies with them. Pizza and drinks will be served.
The panelists include:
Anghy Tehuitzil Corral, a Mexican American and descendant of the Aztec — the Indigenous People of Northern Mexico. Corral is a senior at UMF with a psychology and anthropology major with a minor in business. She is a student activist and notably involved in UMF diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.
Mike “Muggo” Dube, a storyteller and native of Farmington. His roots trace back to a 300-plus-year-old family farmhouse in Livermore, which now houses the fifth generation of Dubes and serves as the base camp for Taconic Challenges, his wilderness-based school. Dube’s heritage blending Mi’kmaq, Acadian, and Portuguese influences his passion for storytelling.
Osihkiyol “Zeke” Crofton-Macdonald, the Tribal Ambassador for the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, is a Wolastoqey person from the Houlton Band of Maliseets in Maine (Metaksonikewiyik) and the Oromocto First Nation (Welamukotuk) in New Brunswick Canada. He serves on the Board of the Wabanaki Alliance and is a commissioner on the Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission.
Shirley N. Hager, the lead author of “The Gatherings: Reimagining Indigenous-Settler Relations,” she co-organized the Gatherings on which the book is based. She is a retired associate extension professor with the University of Maine, and a Circles of Trust facilitator with the National Center for Courage & Renewal. She clerks the Tribal-State Relations Committee of the Friends (Quaker) Committee on Maine Public Policy.
• Tuesday, Oct 17, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Documentary Film: “This River is Our Relative,” Room 023, Roberts Learning Center, Main Street.
For the indigenous Penobscot people, the Penobscot River is more than just one of the sacred rivers in Wabanaki. It is a vital part of their culture, history, and well-being. The river has always been a beloved relative. In 2019, the tribe enrolled the river as a Penobscot Nation citizen. This documentary film by the Sunlight Media Collective explores the importance of the River to the Penobscot people.
• Wednesday, Oct 18, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Traditional Indigenous Peoples Food Tasting, South Dining Hall, Olsen Student Center, South Street.
UMF students on a meal plan use their card; for other students, staff and the public, the cost is $6.47. Traditional Indigenous meals will be prepared with indigenous ingredients including stories behind the food items. There will also be a chance to interact and ask questions around Indigenous Peoples culture around food from our invited Native storyteller and singer. Sodexo is sponsoring this event and is committed to making a positive impact in the taste of Maine by sourcing local products, produce and services.
• Thursday, Oct. 19, 6:30 p.m., Traditional Native Storytelling, UMF Emery Community Arts Center, Main Street.
Dube, along with singer Gaianne Dube, will present stories and songs under a theatrical moonlight and enhanced by lighting and stone arrangements to simulate Native American and Indigenous Peoples gathering. Mike Dube shares the fusion of his Native culture, the Maine Wilderness, and the wisdom of the Ancient Ones, making each storytelling experience an unforgettable journey.
These events are designed to educate students and the wider community on the culture of Indigenous peoples and the profound journey of the Wabanaki, the Indigenous Peoples living in what is now called Maine, to assert their sovereignty. The #LandBack movement in Maine and the near passage of the tribal sovereignty bill are two current indigenous issues that make celebrating IPW especially important.
This year’s event is brought by Association for Campus Entertainment, Emery Arts Center, Indigenous Peoples Day Event Planning Committee, Sodexo and UMF’s Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) Team.
For more information, visit umf.maine.edu, or contact Yetunde O. Ajao at yajao@maine.edu or 207-778-7188.
Check out other upcoming area events!
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